


Just Take Me Back to Yours (That Will Be Fine)

by ArchaicAsterism



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Forbidden Love, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I think I'm funny tbh, I'm not kidding there is way too much yearning in this fic, Lots and lots of Pining, M/M, Minor Nishinoya Yuu/Tanaka Ryuunosuke - Freeform, Minor Shimizu Kiyoko/Yachi Hitoka, Most of the time, Multi, Mutual Pining, Not really slowburn because Tooru is SMITTEN, Oikawa's dad sucks, Overuse of italics, Pining Oikawa Tooru, Pining Sugawara Koushi, Pretty much everyone is mentioned at least once - Freeform, Rating May Change, Very minor Oikawa Tooru/Sawamura Daichi, but with a twist, iwaoi platonic soulmates, why isn't that a tag
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-12 14:00:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28761462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArchaicAsterism/pseuds/ArchaicAsterism
Summary: Tooru Oikawa was no stranger to games and politics. As heir to the throne of Aoba Johsai, he had always known that his life would be planned down to the finest detail. So when his parents arrange a marriage to Daichi Sawamura, Crown Prince of Karasuno, he isn't necessarily surprised. What is surprising though, is his fiancé's pretty companion.--AKA I have constant oisuga brain rot and I needed to write something self-indulgent
Relationships: Iwaizumi Hajime/Sawamura Daichi, Oikawa Tooru/Sugawara Koushi
Comments: 19
Kudos: 66





	1. Un

**Author's Note:**

> Just a few things about this AU: There is no set time period, but the world is heavily inspired by both the medieval and Victorian Era!! This is unbeta'd and edited by me, so if there are any glaring mistakes please let me know! Updates should be every Friday unless my procrastination gets the best of me lmao. Enjoy! <33

Tooru Oikawa’s earliest memories are of bustling servants and too tight clothes.

For as long as he can remember, Tooru had been herded around by his nursemaid. His days were filled with a flurry of tutors and training that left him aching and tired by the end of the day. It was repetitive, _boring_. There was never anything to do but work, work, work. He couldn’t play with Hajime (though he could never call him Hajime; it was always Iwa or Iwaizumi) and his nursemaid refused to let him see his older sister. It was practically _torture_. In response, Tooru would run from lessons, narrowly dodging the castle staff. After a while, Hajime would be the one to find him alone and tucked into a corner of the gardens. (Hajime was always so good at finding him.)

This went on for quite a few years, and soon Tooru was turning ten. Servants would scold him for even the slightest mistakes. Voices would sharply tell him that as heir to the throne, _“he’s too old to be acting so childishly”_. Tooru ignored them, of course. What did a bunch of stupid adults know, anyway? _They_ were the reason he ran off all the time. His parents always expected the best from him, but why should he care when they were never _here?_

A loud smack echoed throughout the room, jerking Tooru out of his thoughts. He blinked for a moment, before narrowing his eyes in a glare. The brunette set said glare onto his tutor. The older man was frowning down at him, a wooden ruler gripped tightly in his left hand.

“It would benefit you to pay attention, your highness.” His tutor’s voice was clipped, clearly annoyed with him. Good. Rolling his eyes, Tooru lazily rested his chin in his hands. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with lessons today.

“I guess.” He murmured. He _knew_ he was being unreasonable, but he frankly didn’t care. Iwaizumi would give him hell for it later, but Tooru wasn’t _too_ intimidated. Iwa had small hands. Guard training couldn’t change that.

Before his teacher could retort, the door swung open. In walked Queen Oikawa, flanked by two of her most trusted guards. The air in the room seemed to freeze, as her presence demanded everyone’s full attention. Tooru unconsciously held his breath, immediately straightening up and smiling at his mother. She glanced in his direction, the bottom half of her face covered by a teal silk fan.

"Do drop the act, dear. You're fooling no one." His mother's voice was as smooth as the silk she had in her hand, so Tooru had no choice but to obey. His smile dropped faster than it had appeared, and his eyes squinted with suspicion. Mother was never one to just barge in unexpectedly, so her sudden appearance was slightly worrying.

"His majesty requests that you join him in the throne room. There is something we need to discuss." His mother paused, eyes flicking over towards the tutor. His head was bowed in respect, but Tooru could see the slight shake in his shoulders. That seemed to satisfy his mother, who turned her gaze back to him. "We don't want to keep him waiting, so make haste."

Of course.

Honestly, Tooru should've known better. His parents weren't the type to summon him to talk about his day. There was always something they needed to use him for. This was nothing new. It was honestly _so boring._

However, Tooru had a part to play. He nodded dutifully, keeping his mouth shut. It took almost all his willpower to not throw a fit. He knew better than that, though. Any disrespect shown in front of his mother would be met with harsh repercussions. He stood, only half remembering to smooth out the wrinkles of his clothes, and followed his mother out of the room.

\--

The hallways of the castle were one of Tooru’s favorite things if he was honest. He and Iwaizumi could spend hours admiring the smooth marble statues and high ceilings. Now, as he trailed behind his mother, Tooru could only focus on the sheer size of the hallway. Everything seemed too big and too small at the same time. He felt as though the wide space would suddenly collapse, trapping him among the tiled floors and neatly hung paintings. The closer he got to the throne room, the smaller he seemed to feel. His stomach filled with dread. What was wrong with him? Tooru couldn't remember doing anything wrong -besides spacing out during his lesson today- so his father couldn't be upset with him. Whatever it was, Tooru could not afford to be caught off guard.

The throne room doors opening quickly shook Tooru out of his thoughts. He watched as they announced his mother to the room, before walking in during his announcement. A charming smile worked its way onto his face, something that was almost entirely natural to him by now. The boy kept his eyes trained on the back of his mother's dress as they made their way to the middle of the room. Tooru quickly bowed before his father and held his breath as his mother did the same. He then stood up and quietly made his way over to his throne. The young prince gracefully draped himself over the seat, light blue and emblazoned with the royal crest. Tooru briefly took notice of the extra security around the room, eyes landing on- wait. Iwaizumi? Relief seemed to flood through Tooru at the familiar sight of his friend's spiky black hair. His friend smiled slightly, but his eyes told him: _look away before you get caught._ Right. Father wouldn’t be too pleased if he saw his son _fraternizing_ with the “lower class”.

Speaking of his father, Tooru snuck a glance at the man sitting just a few feet away. King Oikawa was a man that demanded respect with every carefully calculated movement. Tooru couldn't even count how many times he's been told he's the spitting image of his father, yet the two couldn’t be more different. Well, in Tooru’s opinion at least. His father was harsh, but he cared, in his own way. He was also a natural-born leader. He was _destined_ to be king. How could Tooru possibly compete with _that?_ Whatever. Tooru had time to brood later, back when he was within the safety of his room. For now, he had a reputation to uphold.

The doors opened once more, this time with a small group waiting behind it. "Introducing his Royal Highness, Daichi Sawamura, the Prince of Karasuno. With him are his Royal Advisors Lords-"

Tooru had stopped listening to the announcement at this point. Instead, his eyes were trained on the boy who had stood behind the tall blond advisor. He looked to be about Tooru’s age, with short silver hair that looked too soft for its own good. His eyes were large and round, hazel in color, and _beautiful._ Tooru had never seen anyone so pretty (well, besides himself, of course). _This was Daichi?_ If it was, he had completely enraptured Tooru.

Until the boy moved and a slightly older one took his place. Oh. He was almost the exact opposite of the boy from before. He was taller, a bit broader, and his dark brown hair was cut right above his ears. He seemed to be only about a year older than Tooru. He bowed, and Tooru took that moment to look for the silver-haired boy. He found him nestled between Iwaizumi and a guard he couldn't recognize. Well, that was good. At least Iwa would keep him company.

"Your Majesty," Tooru’s eyes snapped back to the boy ( _Daichi. His name was Daichi)_. The blonde advisor had stepped up beside him. "We thank you for the gracious hospitality you have bestowed upon our young prince." The man paused, collecting his thoughts.

They were ill-prepared for this -whatever _this_ was- and it was rather obvious. If Tooru remembered his studies correctly, Karasuno was a rather poor kingdom. The only thing that kept the kingdom from being overrun was its natural advantages. What business did Father have with a kingdom like that?

"We would like to further discuss the terms of the union-"

"What more is there to discuss?" Tooru couldn't help the slight flinch at the cutting edge in his father’s voice. Tooru took a short breath and forced his body to relax. He was fine, Father wasn't talking to him. The second advisor was the one to step up and speak.

"With all due respect Your Majesty, Karasuno’s customs are a bit different from those of Aoba Johsai. Our courtship period is meant to take place over a few years, rather than a few months. Please consider holding off the wedding until both the princes are of age." The smile on Tooru’s face froze in place, his eyes widening.

Hold on. _Wedding?_

He was going to get _married? To Daichi?_ He could feel his smile slipping, his emotions bubbling up and threatening to spill over because this was too much. _Too much too much too much too much to-_

A warm hand enveloped his own. It was small, uncalloused, and dainty. _Mother._ Tooru glanced up, eyes glassy with unshed tears. His mother was staring straight ahead but a single glance in his direction and he understood what she was trying to say. _Not here._ Her eyes said. _I'll explain later._ It wasn't too reassuring, but it brought Tooru back to the present. He needed to compose himself. This was not how the Crown Prince of Aoba Johsai conducted himself. _Focus Tooru._

\--

After about an hour of discussion, King Oikawa had agreed to Karasuno’s demands. He had said that the kingdom’s traditions were to be respected, and that was the end. They had all agreed that the marriage was to be held off until both Tooru and Daichi were eighteen. Until then, the two would court. There was to be one trip every month to either Karasuno or Aoba Johsai. This would give the princes a chance to get to know each other better. In return, Daichi was to spend a year before the wedding in Aoba Johsai. Something about "properly learning their customs".

All of that meant nothing to Tooru, who was still reeling over the fact that the silver-haired boy _was not the prince._ Tooru could admit that he was being rather shallow, but he was so _stunning_. Marriage be damned, he wanted to befriend the other as soon as possible. That seemed to spark something within him. A friend! He could have another friend! Maybe even two, if Daichi could put aside this stupid marriage business. Tooru paused, taking it all in. _Would_ it be a good idea to befriend Daichi?

“Now that this has been settled,” The queen said. “Why don’t you show our guest what Seijoh has to offer?” _I’m giving you an opening. Take it._ Tooru nodded his thanks, before slipping off his throne.

“Mother, may I take Iwaizumi with me?” The brunette could feel Iwa trying to stare a hole through the back of his head. He could also already see the small frown the other would be sporting right now. Thankfully, his mother simply waved him off with a flick of her wrist. Tooru bowed in thanks before practically skipping towards the other prince. Sure, he was supposed to be getting married or whatever, but that was years away. For now, he was fine with introducing his best friend to his (possible) new friends.

\--

The moment Tooru and his little group were far enough from the throne room, Iwaizumi promptly smacked him upside his head. Rude. Pouting, Tooru rubbed the back of his head and turned. “Mean Iwa! You’re such a brute. No girl will want you to protect them with that attitude!”

“What were you thinking, stupid?” Hajime huffed. “Be more careful! You’re lucky Her Majesty was in a good mood today.” Tooru rolled his eyes.

“Whatever, Hajime. C’mon, let's show Daichi the balcony!” If Tooru were less observant, he wouldn’t have noticed sudden tense in Iwaizumi’s shoulders. His childhood friend then whipped around, bowing and apologizing profusely to the other prince. Daichi looked visibly uncomfortable, which was a surprise considering how composed he had been in the throne room. His hands were frantically waving in front of his face as he tried to reassure the boy before him. It would be cute if Tooru wasn’t ten and desperately trying to get out of the hallway so they could catch the sunset. Just as he opened his mouth to whine, Tooru heard the _most melodic sound in the entire world._

Standing just behind Prince Daichi, the boy from before was trying to smother his giggles behind his hand. It sounded like the tinkling of bells and Tooru was _hooked._ Immediately, Tooru shoved his way past Daichi and Iwaizumi.

_Oh god, he was even prettier up close._

A wild blush spread across the other boy’s cheeks, his eyes widening. Wait. Did he say that out loud? Tooru’s mind raced because oh my _god_ , what did he just _do_. He needed to fix this as soon as possible.

Tooru winked, (which actually just looked like a slow blink) a small smirk forming on his face. “Forgive my poor manners. I was so busy staring at you I didn’t catch your name.”

What. _What did that even mean? Why did he just say that?!_ As Tooru promptly lost his mind internally, Iwaizumi and the others must’ve thought it was hilarious, because none of them bothered to hide their laughter.

“My-,” a giggle. “My name is Koushi!” Even his _name_ was pretty. Why couldn’t Tooru just marry _him?_ Thankfully, before he could embarrass himself again, Iwaizumi interrupted.

“While this is nice, we should really get going. The sun is going down.”

Tooru gasped, eyes lighting up. He quickly grabbed Koushi’s hand, tugging him down the hallway and towards the main balcony. Iwaizumi and Daichi were close behind, just as eager to see the sunset.

The group made it just in time. The sun had sunk low behind the clouds, washing the sky in a pink gradient. Oranges seamlessly bled in with the pink, painting the sky and casting a pink hue over the castle. Tooru tore his eyes away long enough to see the awestruck look on both Koushi and Daichi’s faces. Their mouths were hanging open in shock, eyes wide and completely entranced.

“Have you never seen a sunset before?” Tooru asked, hissing as Iwa elbowed him in the ribs. He wasn’t being rude, he was genuinely curious. Daichi shook his head, eyes still trained on the sky.

“Not really. There are lots of tall trees in Karasuno, we don’t see much.”

“But that means you haven’t seen the stars!” Tooru gasped. Beside him, Iwa snorted.

“Don’t be stupid, Oikawa. They’ve probably seen stars.” Koushi hummed in agreement, but raised one hand and pointed upwards.

“Yeah, but we’ve never seen stars like that.” They all looked up as he said that, noticing that it had gotten dark. Now, instead of fading pinks and oranges, there were specks of white against a sea of indigo. Suddenly, Tooru was hyper-aware of the warmth encasing his hand. _He was still holding Koushi’s hand._

“Koushi look!” Daichi was poking his friend in the shoulder, pointing at a particularly bright star. “It looks just like your hair!” Tooru had no choice but to agree. The star did look a lot like Koushi. He couldn’t help the slow smile that spread across his face.

_His very own starlight._


	2. Deux

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternatively titled: Tooru Oikawa and the long-ass hallway.
> 
> Iwa has tiny hands and somehow invents Go Fish.

It had been two months since Tooru’s last encounter with the prince of Karasuno and his escorts. Two months since Tooru had met Koushi, called him _his._ (Not out loud of course, because that would be embarrassing.) He honestly didn't even know where the thought had come from. Sure, Koushi was pretty, but a lot of people were pretty. His mother was pretty, and his older sister Komaru was pretty. Hell, even _he_ was pretty. So what the hell made Koushi any different?

To say that Tooru was having a crisis would be an understatement. 

He began to pace, feet digging into the soft carpet as he tried to make sense of all the jumbled thoughts swirling in his head. _You're meant to marry Daichi stupid. Why are you so focused on someone you barely know?_ Strange. His inner voice sounded a lot like Iwaizumi. _Wait, no. Focus! Think about the situation for a minute._ Tooru paused his pacing, shoulders slumping as he dragged himself over to his bed. Lying beneath the canopy, he stared up at the ceiling. These were the facts: Tooru Oikawa, Crown Prince of Aoba Johsai, was set to marry Daichi Sawamura in eight years. This was non-negotiable. Tooru was also more interested in his fiancée's servant than his fiancée himself. This was also non-negotiable. 

Tooru groaned, pressing the palms of his hands into his eyes in frustration. "I'm going in circles." He mumbled, before pausing, "And I'm talking to myself out loud."

Yeah, "crisis" was definitely an understatement.

\--

Shortly after his episode in his bedroom, Tooru had decided he needed to get his mind off of anything even remotely related to Karasuno. That meant heading down to the guard barracks and annoying Hajime until he got bored. It was a pretty normal occurrence, so Hajime wouldn't be _too_ mad. Probably. With that in mind, the young prince pulled on his most comfortable outfit and began his trek down the many hallways of the castle. 

The halls of the castle were almost silent, something Tooru had quickly learned to get used to. Servants were rarely seen and seldom heard. Some many smaller passageways and doors ran through the castle, but they were only used by the staff. In extreme cases, they were used as escape routes. 

The only other exception was when Tooru himself had decided to use them. His attempts to escape lessons never truly worked out at first, because everyone seemed to know where to get to him as fast as possible. Over the years, Tooru had learned to use that to his advantage. Now he still wasn't the best at avoiding the servants, but at least the playing field was a little more even. He still had some time to improve after all. 

Unfortunately, he had no time to rile up any servants, deciding to take the proper way down to the barracks. They were located just outside of the east wing, with a separate entrance from the outside training field. 

As a younger recruit, Hajime had most likely finished for today and was probably helping with menial tasks like cleaning and sword polishing. With that in mind, Tooru pushed open the large wooden doors. As he stepped in, a sudden rush of sound assaulted his ears, grunts, and clangs of metal filling the air. His nose wrinkled slightly as his nose was also assaulted, but Tooru pushed on. He was determined to find Hajime. 

After a few more minutes of looking, Hajime was found tucked into the corner of his room, playing cards with some new recruit Tooru had only seen once before. Hanasaki was it? Whatever, the kid's name was irrelevant at the moment. 

"Hajime! I've been looking everywhere for you!" Tooru yelled, running over and latching onto his friend's back. The other sputtered and flailed, gripping his cards harder in his fist. With a quick mumbled apology to his companion, Iwaizumi frowned and angled his head towards Oikawa. 

"You can't scare me like that Oikawa! Who gave you the right to just storm in here?" Tooru scoffed and rolled his eyes. 

"How many times do I have to say this? Call me _Tooru_. Oikawa makes it sound like you're talking to Father." A glare. "Besides, have you forgotten who the prince is? If you forgot, it's me." 

"You're a real pain, you know that?" 

Tooru gasped, face quickly falling into a pout. "Well, at least I don't have baby hands! Ha! Take that." He teased, sticking his tongue out at his friend. 

Iwaizumi's glare seemed to intensify. "I do not have baby hands!" He snapped.

"Do too." 

"I don't!"

"Yes, you do!" Tooru was having way too much fun with this. "Your hands can barely hold a sword!" 

"I'm only eleven idiot!" 

"Yeah well-" 

A cough interrupted their back and forth. Two pairs of eyes turned towards the other boy (of whom Tooru had honestly forgotten was there). 

"So," he paused, "do you have a three?" 

Iwaizumi sighed, glancing down at his cards. "Go fishing." 

\--

A week later, Tooru found himself standing in front of an array of carriages. There were four in total, all teal blue and ornately decorated. The horses were all stark white, covered with a cloth bearing the royal symbol. Footmen stood by the entrance of the doors, the bags already neatly tucked away. 

Now, as a prince, Tooru _did_ tend to enjoy the finer things in life. This though, was excessive. However, it did mean that he finally got to ride in his own carriage by himself. No more sharing with Komaru or his parents. 

Speaking of his sister, Komaru Oikawa stood next to the horses of her carriage, whispering and petting their noses. Tooru thought she was crazy, but she always insisted that the horses worked better with praise. She would then pause, humming, "Kind of like you." 

"Tooru." His mother's voice rang. He turned, giving the woman his full attention. "Do hurry up, you're wasting time. We do not want to keep your betrothed waiting longer than necessary." Well, he couldn’t argue with that. 

\--

The Kingdom of Karasuno was a lot smaller than Tooru had initially thought. It was pretty pathetic in his opinion. His eyes wandered to the window watching the scenery roll by. There were just _so many trees._ They were all unnaturally tall, with wide-reaching branches and lush green leaves. Daichi really wasn’t exaggerating. 

Speaking of Daichi, Tooru had come to realize he didn't actually know anything about the other prince. He had been so caught up in the silver-haired boy (read: angel), that he had forgone a proper introduction. Hopefully, Daichi didn't hold it against him. 

Soon the castle rolled into view. It was not nearly as big as his own, which honestly made him feel a little bad. The carriage pulled to a stop at the entrance, and Tooru immediately perked up. Daichi waited with his two advisors, smiles plastered on all of their faces. A few servants shuffled out of the castle, taking bags and relieving the Seijoh servants of their duties. 

Koushi was nowhere to be seen. 

Instead, Daichi himself walked over and opened Tooru’s door, hand raised in offering. Tooru grasped it, frowning slightly at the difference in size. Where Koushi’s hands had been small and warm, Daichi’s were slightly bigger. 

"How was the trip?" Daichi asked politely. Tooru resisted the urge to shrug and just flashed a smile. 

"It was fine. The roads were smooth and the scenery was nice." That wasn't a lie exactly, but Tooru had neglected to mention how _bored out of his mind_ he had been. Daichi hummed in acknowledgment. He then glanced backward at Tooru's parents, making sure they were out of earshot. When he confirmed they were, he whispered, 

"Boring, wasn’t it?" Tooru exhaled, eyes closing in relief. 

"You have no idea." He whined. Daichi laughed, muffling the sound with his unoccupied hand. 

"Come on then! I'll show you the gardens. We can relax there." Daichi then took off in a run, yanking Tooru’s hand forward and causing him to stumble. Quickly regaining his balance, Tooru laughed as he was tugged towards the castle. 

Behind them, Queen Oikawa watched the boys run off, a small smile forming behind her fan. 

\--

Koushi was arranging a tray of snacks when Daichi and Aoba Johsai's prince burst through the doors. The sudden commotion startled him and he flailed, narrowly missing the table he had just been setting up. 

"Koushi! Look who's here!" Daichi called. The younger prince trailed behind him, eyes wide as he took in the gardens. Koushi’s eyes moved to where their hands were joined. 

" _This_ is your garden? It's huge!" The brunette gushed, eyes darting all around. "I've never seen so many flowers before!" He then let go of Daichi’s hand, running over to a particularly bright pink flower. His hands gently cupped it, admiring the soft texture. 

"You're staring." 

That shook Koushi out of his trance, (had he been looking at Oikawa the whole time?) turning to face his friend. "What?" Daichi rolled his eyes and bumped his shoulder, head nodding in Oikawa's direction. 

"You _like_ him." The elder sing-songed, a small smirk on his face. Koushi’s cheeks warmed, but he forced out a huff and swatted at Daichi’s shoulder. 

"I don't know him. And he's _your_ fiancée. Shouldn't you be, I don't know, offended or something?" Daichi shrugged, looking over at Oikawa. 

"I don't know him." 

"I hate you." 

\--

"So where's your friend?" Koushi asked, taking a sip of tea. The three had moved to the table in the gardens, settling in for tea and snacks. Oikawa had run around for a good fifteen minutes, pointing out flowers and flora. 

"He couldn't come." Oikawa pouted, posture slumping. "Father said he can't join me until he completes his training." At that Koushi tilted his head, confusion etched across his face.

"Training?" Oikawa nodded, excitement lighting up his features. 

"Hajime is going to be a guard! He's really cool!" Oikawa then leaned over, lowering his voice to a whisper. "But don't tell him I said that." Pulling back, Oikawa returned to his normal volume. "Too bad his hands are small. He'll never be able to hold a sword with his small baby hands." 

Koushi snorted, trying to imagine the rather intimidating Iwaizumi with _"small baby hands"._ Daichi laughed too, probably imagining the same thing he was. "I would've expected you to have the small hands." He mused. 

Tooru looked offended. "And why is that?" 

"Because you're small! You're also younger aren't you?" Tooru gasped, eyes narrowing and mouth falling open in shock. 

"What?! I'm not small! Just you wait Kou, I'll be bigger than you'll ever be! Taller too!" He huffed, arms crossed. Koushi rolled his eyes but smiled widely, raising his hand out to the other. 

"Fine, then let's make a deal. If you grow taller than me then I owe you snacks for a whole week." 

"A whole week? Deal!" Tooru said as he grabbed Koushi’s hand, shaking it firmly. Koushi smiled, his heart warming because it looked like he had made a friend. 

A friend who apparently liked to give nicknames on the second meeting. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One day I will write a longer chapter I promise


	3. Trois

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> POSSIBLE TRIGGERS: Actions from Oikawa's mother in this chapter could be seen as/taken as child abuse. After an encounter with his mother, Oikawa has a panic attack and Iwaizumi doesn't handle it properly (but he does manage to calm him down). If you're uncomfortable with that kind of content, read up until: "Tooru was at a loss." and skip until you get to "He nodded slowly."
> 
> That aside, this is my longest chapter yet so please excuse the decline in quality in some places

Upon the return to his kingdom, everyone could see the drastic change that their young prince had gone through. While the boy was still dramatic and quite the troublemaker, he seemed...happier somehow. His lesson ditching became less frequent, and he seemed to be taking his studies rather seriously. There seemed to be this aura of pure contentment around him at all times. The servants were baffled; because honestly, if _this_ was the outcome of the announcement, the king should have arranged this marriage earlier. 

Tooru also began to grow closer to the other children of the castle, determined to no longer reserve his friendship for Iwaizumi. Because of that, he formally met one Takahiro Hanamaki. Tooru had only vaguely remembered him as the boy from Iwa's card game but ultimately decided that the situation was not to be counted as a first meeting. 

_"Let's start over, I'm Tooru Oikawa! I would really like to be friends!"_

\--

The days began to pass quickly after that. Days slowly bled into months, and soon two years had passed. 

Tooru would meet with Daichi and Koushi once every month, just as promised. Sometimes, Tooru hosted them in Seijoh. Other times, he would pack his bags and stay in Karasuno. Their meetings always went something like this: After the arrival of either prince, the adults would gather to talk about politics. The children were always dismissed, scurrying off to find a place to themselves. More often than not, it was the gardens. 

The gardens were very important to Tooru. After his first introduction to Daichi’s flourishing flora, Tooru was hooked. He insisted that there be a bigger _, better,_ garden for the castle. The request had seemed simple enough, and soon it was fulfilled. Now, Seijoh was a lot colder than Karasuno, which meant that Tooru’s garden wouldn't be as big as Daichi’s. It mattered very little to the heir though, as long as he had his favorite flowers. Koushi had called the pink flowers _Geranium,_ shortly before gifting him one. 

The gardens had always been Tooru's refuge, but now it was something more than just a hiding spot. It was comforting. It felt like coming home. His own little haven when he needed time away; somewhere he was surrounded by nothing but the comforting touch of petals and the soft smells of flowers. It was freeing, having his own space like that. A space where he was free to do whatever he wished to, without pressure or judgment. 

His paradise. 

One that he longed to share. Tooru wanted nothing more than to lay under the open night sky, gazing at the stars, _his_ star by his side. He was a few months shy of thirteen now and had concluded that Koushi was important to him. His feelings were complicated because he loved Daichi, he truly did. But the way he loved the other prince was the same way he loved Iwaizumi. It was conflicting because he was set to marry Daichi. Yet the more Tooru thought about it, the less he could imagine being wed to him. Daichi was important to him, very much so, but in a different way than Koushi was. 

To Tooru, Koushi was all things right with the world. His hair was soft, his gaze even softer. He shone brighter than any star in the sky, with his laughter and his kindness. Tooru was helpless to do anything but stare in awe at such a being. He was so _lucky._ Lucky to bask in the bright warmth that the other boy exuded. Koushi wasn't the sun -Tooru was sure that fit Daichi more- but he didn't need to be. Where the sun was radiant and strong, bringing about the light of a new day, the stars cut through the darkness but did not take away from it. Stars complimented the sky and everything in it, they were bright, but they were subtle. And to Tooru, they were so, _so_ beautiful _._

If asked, Tooru would probably compare himself to the moon. The moon was often overshadowed by the sun. Where the sun's rays were strong and unwavering, the moon's beams were vivid and cold. The moon changed, the sun did not. 

However, if Tooru was the moon, that fit him just fine. There was nowhere he'd rather be than nestled among the stars. 

\--

The morning on the eve of Tooru’s thirteenth birthday started the same way as any other. 

He was woken up and quietly ushered into the bath, eyes still blurry with sleep. He was washed and promptly dried, before donning yet another overly expensive outfit. As per his request, Tooru was left alone to do his own hair. Over the years he had near perfected a routine and he intended to stick to it. 

The prince was seated at his vanity, tongue poking out from between his lips. His eyes were narrowed in concentration as his fingers deftly ran through his hair. The faint smell of pine filled the room, making Tooru’s nose scrunch. He wasn't a huge fan of the smell, but Komaru had insisted it would increase his "desirability". She had told him that his fiancée, " _would absolutely die"_. And if it was good enough for Daichi, it was surely good enough for Koushi. 

A swift knock echoed throughout the room and Tooru let out a sigh before loudly responding, 

"Enter!" 

The door was all but thrown open, and Queen Oikawa stormed in, uncharacteristic anger written all over her face. Her usual hand fan was nowhere to be seen. Tooru’s eyes widened at the sudden display of emotions from his mother, possibilities running up and down through his head. 

He watched as his mother began pacing, the skirts of her dress gracefully fluttering behind her. Even angry, his mother was beautiful. 

"Tooru, what do you know of the Karasuno kingdom?" 

The question caught him off guard. What _did_ he know? Tooru knew of its history of course, (his tutor made sure of that) but he didn't know how the kingdom was run. For the three years that Tooru had known Daichi, he had never once seen him take on any royal duties. 

Daichi had once told him that he wasn't actually running the kingdom yet, that responsibility fell to his two advisors. Outside of that though, Tooru was at a loss. 

His silence must've spoken for him, because his mother quickly made her way over and gripped his chin, forcing his eyes to meet hers. Tooru vaguely registered the softness of her hands contrasting with the sharpness of her nails. 

He winced, not expecting the sudden force. After that, his mother seemed to catch herself and the pressure on his face lessened. Her grip remained firm, but her eyes softened as she stared down at him. 

"His majesty isn't pleased, Tooru." 

Five words. It only took five words for Tooru’s entire mood to shift, his body going rigid. Father was upset? What had he done? Perhaps he was being naive, but Tooru saw no problem with not knowing how to run Karasuno. He knew how to run _his_ kingdom, that should be more than enough. 

The boy took a steadying breath, trying to force his body to relax. Getting spooked at the mere mention of his father was no way for a proper prince to act. 

"What exactly is he upset about? I don't recall causing any trouble recently." His mother's lips pressed together, frustration reflecting clearly in her eyes. She opened her mouth, pink lips parting before slipping into a small frown. 

"Don't look so upset mother, you'll ruin your skin." Tooru cringed as soon as the words left his mouth, the joke immediately falling flat. His mother must have taken pity on him because she let out a soft chuckle and dropped her hand. Its opposite came up to rest on Tooru’s cheek, his mother's thumb gently stroking the skin there. Tooru closed his eyes and leaned into the touch, soaking up the rare display of affection.

"I need you to stop hanging around those servant boys."

Tooru’s eyes snapped open, shock freezing his movements. Had he heard that right? He gaped, wide eyes scanning his mother's face. A tiny, soft smile rested on her lips. The kind expression was contrasted by the look in her ice-blue eyes. They were as sharp as their namesake, cold and calculating. 

Servant boys? She must’ve meant Iwaizumi. But why? 

"What's the reason for this? You don't usually pay attention to the lower class." It hurt to call his friends _"the lower class"_ , but it was a necessary evil. The smile on Queen Oikawa’s face remained, but there was a slight narrow to her eyes. 

"Don't question me Tooru. It's unbecoming," the queen's hand dropped and she stood up to her full height, "you should know better than this." Her hands clasped together at her front. "Your father has these," a purse of her lips, "concerns about your behavior. You've always been close to that guard boy, and he let that slide. However, it seems you've also grown fond of the... _help_ that Prince Daichi likes to keep around." Her words were bitter, she wasn't even trying to disguise her feelings. 

"But-,"

"Do not interrupt me." She glared and Tooru immediately snapped his mouth shut. After a brief nod of her approval, she continued. "Now, usually I would pay no mind to whatever it is you do with your spare time, but His Majesty has voiced some concerns to me." 

A familiar sensation burned at the bridge of Tooru’s nose, spreading until he could feel his eyes getting wet. _Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry._ He chanted this to himself over and over again, hoping the tears would dry up and disappear through sheer willpower alone. _Wait until she leaves._

"He is concerned that you're not taking responsibility. He questions your dedication to this arrangement." Queen Oikawa hadn't raised her voice once, yet Tooru couldn't help the flinch that followed. If the queen noticed, she didn't say anything about it. "Am I to tell him that this is true? That you are unfit to fulfill the duties required of you?" 

Tooru’s head snapped up, eyes frantic. "No! Uh," he cleared his throat and lowered his voice, "no mother. I'm fully committed." Thankfully, his voice remained clear despite the current mess that was his feelings. 

Tooru just wanted this conversation to end. His head hurt from trying to hold back his tears and his vision was starting to blur. He wanted to lay down and just sleep. Forever preferably.

The queen's eyes scanned his face, this time all void of emotion. Tooru couldn't get a could read on her, he rarely could, and it frustrated him to no end. Fortunately, it seemed his mother had decided fighting wasn't worth it. She nodded briefly before turning and gliding towards the door. The door swung open without much noise. 

"I will inform him of your answer." 

And then she was gone. 

Tooru felt like he was a puppet and someone had just cut the strings. His body crumpled to the ground, toppling off of the vanity bench. He sat there for a moment, eyes burning before a single tear slipped down his cheek. Then another. Soon the boy was full-on sobbing, hot tears running down his face and his breath coming out in quick gasps. _Bed. Get to the bed._

He vaguely registered the floor, hands blindly searching for some sort of purchase. _Pull yourself together. Stand up._ Again and again, Tooru came up empty, his hands grabbing at the air or the plush carpet beneath his feet. _Get up._ His vision was almost completely blurry and he was beginning to feel lightheaded. Tooru’s entire body felt heavy and he was just so _tired._ Was he still crying? He didn't even know anymore. 

Suddenly, arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders. He was then pressed against something firm and warm. What? No, this wasn't good. _No no no no no no no no-_

"-kawa? Oi-" 

Was someone speaking? He didn't know, all he knew was that he wanted them _off. Go away please go away go away go-_

_"_ TOORU!" 

The sudden shout of his name shocked Tooru out of his string of thoughts, his body ceasing whatever fight it had been putting up before. He could still feel himself shaking, though, just barely. 

"-ru? Can you hear me?" 

He nodded slowly.

"It's Hajime, I'm going to let you go now okay?" 

Hajime? Recognition struck him and his breath picked up. 

"You can't- you can't be here! What if Father finds out? You have to leave-," 

Iwaizumi shook his head, "No I'm staying. I didn't sneak all the way over here for nothing dumbass." 

Tooru hiccuped a laugh, a weak smile pulling at his lips. "Mean, Hajime." 

The other grinned widely, before standing up and holding out his hand. Tooru took it graciously, standing up and nearly falling over again. His legs felt weak, but luckily Hajime let him lean on him for support. 

The two quietly made their way over to the large bed in the middle of the room, Iwaizumi's quiet grunts being the only thing breaking the silence. 

"You're heavy."

Tooru snorted, too tired to come up with a witty retort. Reaching the bed, Tooru crawled up into it, immediately burrowing underneath the mess of blankets. He closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh, relieved to finally be in his bed. After a few beats of silence, Tooru cracked one eye open and stared at Iwaizumi. The other boy was standing at the edge of the bed, ramrod straight. Rolling his eyes the brunette lifted the duvet and scooted backward. 

"Come on you big baby. No need to just stand there." 

"I'm the baby? I'm not the one whose eyes are all red and gross."

Iwaizumi slipped underneath the covers anyway. Tooru only hummed in response, throwing his arm over the other's waist. Unlike all of the previous times, Hajime didn't protest. 

"You know I love you right?" Iwaizumi mumbled, shuffling a bit to get comfortable. 

"Hmm, careful Iwa, your emotions are showing." Tooru hummed. It was just so easy to mess with Hajime, even when he was at his worst. 

"I always show my emotions, idiot," Iwaizumi huffed, "whatever. Take your nap." 

\--

A few hours later, Tooru woke up slowly, eyes heavy and body sluggish. He felt like he had been run over by a carriage and then stomped on by the horses. Noticing the severe lack of warmth, Tooru blearily opened his eyes and smacked around the bed, hoping to hit the solid body of one Hajime Iwaizumi. When he felt nothing but bare sheets, he slowly sat up, looking around the room. He then noticed two things. One, everything seemed to be in order, at least, until his eyes caught the giant stain on the carpet. Had Iwaizumi cleaned up before he left? He must have, because the last time he had seen his bench, it was overturned and kicked halfway across the room. 

Thinking back, Tooru frowned. Had he really made such a fuss? And over what? _Nothing._ His mind supplied. Very helpful. 

The second thing that the prince had noticed was that the usual maid had not woke him up. Usually, he was scolded for sleeping during the day. 

Furrowing his brows, Tooru swung his legs off the bed, gently stepping down onto the plush carpet. Peppermint drifted through the air, leading Tooru to believe that was the oil that had been knocked down earlier. Rubbing his eyes, Tooru padded over to the vanity, frowning at his reflection. He looked even worse than he felt. In the middle of his fussing, Tooru caught something in the reflection of the mirror. Turning around, he hurriedly crawled back into bed, pulling out a wrinkled note that had been stuffed under a pillow. 

_"Meet us in the east wing after dinner. Don't let anyone else see this._

_Oh, and remember to wear your cloak this time._

_-Who do you think? (Iwaizumi)"_

Although his confusion only increased with the discovery of the note, Tooru couldn't help the excitement that rushed under his skin. He hadn't snuck out with Hajime and the others in a while, something that he didn't know he had missed. 

\--

Hours later, after a tense and silent dinner with his family, Tooru was back in his room. His index finger rested on his lower lip as he scanned the possible outfits. Hajime hadn't specified where they were going, so Tooru didn't know if he required an outdoor outfit or not. After a few more minutes of debate, he decided on a plain white button-up and his most rugged pair of slacks. He then grabbed his navy blue cloak, fastening it shut just below his neck. 

Ready to leave, Tooru peeked out of his bedroom window, deeming it dark enough to make his way down to the east wing. 

Thankfully, this time Tooru had no qualms about using the servant hallways. He dipped from door to door, trusting most of the staff not to out him (he did, however, avoid Miss Asako, the woman was practically _glued_ to his mother's hip).

Surely enough, he made it to the east wing with no fuss. He spotted Hajime leaning against the wall, a lantern gripped tightly in his hand. Opting to not make a huge scene, Tooru frantically waved his hands, whisper-shouting "Hajime! Hajime over here!" down the hallway. 

Groaning, Iwaizumi pushed himself off of the wall, motioning for Tooru to follow. So he did. 

The two walked for what seemed like forever (to Tooru at least) before entering one of the old storage cellars. The loud creak of the door made both boys cringe, but they pushed on. 

On the stairs, Iwaizumi had warned Tooru to watch his step and be careful not to slip. Unfortunately, some sort of deity genuinely seemed to hate the young prince, as he found himself missing the last step. _Fortunately,_ Iwaizumi was there just in time to save him from permanently ruining his face. 

"Aw, Hajime! You do care!"

"Shut up, no I don't." 

Their playful bickering continued until Tooru could faintly hear whispering coming from around the corner. There was someone else down here? Oh my god-

"Are you going to kill me?!" Tooru shrieked.

Iwaizumi jumped before halting his movements, whipping around to stare at the slightly taller boy. "What? No? Why would I-,"

"Shh! They're here!"

"Shut up stupid they probably hear you!" 

"When can we eat? I'm starving." 

Tooru blinked. His heart rate was spiking with every new voice he heard. He looked to Iwaizumi, hoping for a proper explanation, but Hajime was too busy pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing. 

"Let’s just-," another sigh, "just trust me okay? No one is going to kill you."

Tooru couldn't believe he was going to die without ever seeing Koushi again. That would probably be his biggest regret. 

"Oi, Oikawa! I’m serious, you're not going to die." 

He hoped whatever afterlife he ended up in was nice, he was way too young to die.

"SURPRISE!" 

Huh?

Tooru blinked, taking in the room around him. When had they turned the corner? Better question, why was every child even remotely close to his age down here with them? Tooru only recognized a few faces, like that angry blond recruit that liked to hang around Hajime, and of course Hanamaki and Matsukawa. The other three though, Tooru had never seen in his life. 

"What's this for?" He asked dumbly. Next to him, Iwaizumi snorted,

"Your birthday? You know, that thing tomorrow?" 

Tooru’s mouth formed a small "o", eyes widening. The other boys laughed before one raised his hand. He looked to be at least two years younger than Tooru himself, and he seemed like the shy type. His hair was oddly shaped, pure black, and sticking out all over the place. Tooru idly wondered what he would look like if he spiked it up, and mentally made a note to ask his sister for some more of her Nekoma imported bandoline.

"So….does this mean we can eat now?" 

" _After_ you wish the prince a happy birthday Yutaro, don't be rude." Iwaizumi scolded. He tilted his head back, voice dropping into a low whisper. "That's Yutaro Kindaichi. He and the kid in the corner, Akira Kunimi, are pretty new here. Try not to tease them too much, yeah?"

Tooru simply waved him off, a wide smile already stretching across his face. Oh, he was going to tease them _so much._ But first, he had food to eat. 

\--

A few hours later, the energy in the cellar began to slowly dip into a lull, everyone growing tired of eating and talking. 

Tooru had finally learned everyone’s names and (mostly) what they did around the castle, so he could sufficiently say his friend group had grown that night. He and Iwaizumi were the first to leave, the other boys insisting they would stay back and clean up. With a few scattered calls of "Happy Birthday Your Highness!", Tooru and Hajime made their way back to Tooru’s room in the north wing. 

The young prince was practically vibrating with glee, the day's earlier events nearly forgotten. He felt warm all over, happy with how the night had turned out. Iwaizumi seemed to be feeling the same way, a small smile resting on his lips as they walked. Once they made it to the door, Iwaizumi quickly checked the halls, making sure the coast was clear. 

"Did you enjoy the party?" Hajime already knew the answer of course, but he would rather hear it straight from the boy himself. 

"Yes! I really did Hajime!" Tooru beamed, "Thank you. It means a lot that you care." 

"Yeah well someone has to. Unfortunately, that someone is me." 

"Why are you so awful to me? I'll have you executed."

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes, but the fond smile that remained betrayed his true feelings. 

"Sure thing _Your Highness._ Sleep well."

"I hope you wake up with spiders in your pants."

"I take it back. I hope you roll right off the bed Oikawa." 

\--

Tooru Oikawa woke up the next morning, _officially_ thirteen. 

The day wasn't much different than usual, but Komaru had decided to hold back on teasing her brother. Breakfast was a silent affair, and soon he had his studies. Strangely, his tutor hadn't mentioned his absence yesterday.

Well, Tooru wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. 

After his lessons, Tooru had decided that he needed a walk through his gardens and promptly made his way outside. He made a beeline for the Geraniums, eyes already darting over them to make sure they were properly taken care of. 

In the middle of his inspection, Tooru heard someone calling his name. The voice was too far for him to recognize, so he simply shrugged and went back to the flowers. If it was important, they would come to him. 

"Prince Oikawa?" 

Wait a minute. He recognized that voice.

"Your highness where are you? Her Majesty said that you might be out here!"

He _definitely_ recognized that voice. 

Dropping the flowers in his hand, Tooru took off in a sprint, ducking underneath a few branches. He decided to take a quick shortcut through the bushes, emerging from the other side relatively unscathed. He could care less about any possible injuries because as soon as he broke through the bushes, his breath caught in his throat. So it really _was_ him! It was-

"Koushi!" Tooru shouted. Koushi turned around to face the prince, eyes lighting up in recognition. He flashed a bright smile, one Tooru easily mirrored. 

He quickly jogged over to the other boy, arms wide open and ready to embrace the boy he had missed so much. When they finally met in the middle, Koushi let out a pleased hum, laying his head on Tooru’s shoulder. 

"I missed you." 

Three words. It took three words for Tooru’s entire heart to feel like it was going to combust. 

"Oh yeah? Well, I missed you more!" 

Koushi laughed, lifting his head. "Impossible! I missed you most."

_"I missed you most."_

_"Stop hanging around those servant boys."_

Oikawa’s face dropped for only a minute before he released the hug and plastered on a fake smile. 

"Not that I mind, but why are you here?" 

Koushi rolled his eyes, playfully shoving Tooru’s shoulder. "For your birthday! Duh." 

"Oh." 

Way to go Tooru. He really couldn't have picked a lamer response. 

"Don't sound so disappointed! Daichi is here too, don't worry. Wait! Speaking of," Koushi grabbed Tooru’s hand and began dragging him back towards the castle, "let's go see him right now!" 

After a quick change of clothes, Koushi and Tooru had found Daichi, who was talking rather animatedly with Iwaizumi. 

They all exchanged brief pleasantries before Koushi was dragging Iwaizumi off to finish chores. 

"Don't have fun without us lovebirds!" Was the last thing he said before disappearing down the hallway. 

Tooru couldn't help the disappointment that settled in his stomach. 

"So," Daichi started, "What do we do now?" 

Tooru shrugged, honestly unsure of what to do. There was never much to do in Seijoh besides fish or swim, and Tooru wasn’t in the mood for either. 

"Do you want to go look for Koushi and Iwa and harass them until dinner?" 

Daichi pretended to think about it, laughing whenTooru’s elbow found a home in his side.

"Okay okay, you got me! Yes, let's go!" 

\--

The two princes had decided to give up after about two hours. Weirdly enough, Tooru and Daichi could find neither hide nor hair of their servants. Sure, Seijoh Castle was big, but it wasn't _that_ big. 

It was definitely strange because Iwaizumi and Koushi tended to stay close whenever they were together. Daichi was starting to get a little concerned, and it set Tooru on edge. If _Daichi_ was worrying, something must be wrong. 

"Where could they have-," 

He was cut off by the ringing of the dinner bell, and Tooru had to suppress a groan. Not only were his best friends nowhere to be seen, but now he had to awkwardly sit through a dinner with his family and his fiancée. Great. 

Dinner was a quiet affair, as per usual. Daichi and his advisor added a bit of chatter, but that died out quickly. Their food was finished in silence. 

After dinner, still seated at the table, Tooru picked at his dessert. He was only half-listening while his father and advisor Ukai talked about trading. Honestly, Tooru could care less, the conversation was boring. There was only one thing on his mind, and couldn't help but start to worry. 

Neither Iwaizumi nor Koushi had shown up through dinner, and no one had mentioned their names. Any inquiries were waved off or ignored completely. It was _weird._

Daichi agreed. 

He was to leave tomorrow morning, which only left a few precious hours of time together as a group. 

Time that was running out quicker than expected. 

\--

Tooru was drifting off to sleep when the knocking came, it was three quick knocks, and it was all that was needed to jerk the prince out of his sleep. Scrambling to the door, Tooru cracked it open and was met with a serious-looking Iwaizumi. Surprise colored his features, and then his eyes narrowed in anger. To think Iwaizumi thought he could just show up out of nowhere after all of the worry he had put him through?

"Ha-," 

Iwaizumi pressed his finger to his lips, shushing him. " _Be quiet",_ he mouthed. Tooru was still upset but nodded anyway. Iwaizumi then motioned for him to follow and they were once again sneaking through the halls of the castle. This time, however, their destination was Daichi’s room. 

Upon reaching the room, Tooru was the one to knock. The door cracked open and suddenly brown met hazel. 

They were ushered in, the door shutting with a soft click. 

"Explain." 

Nobody moved. Koushi and Hajime traded nervous glances, neither knowing how to break the news. Tooru huffed, crossing his arms and then taking a seat next to Daichi on the bed. 

"Is someone going to say something? Where have you _been?"_

Koushi at least had the decency to look somewhat guilty. "Well, you see-"

"Her Majesty said to stay away from you." Iwaizumi interrupted.

The air around them immediately grew heavy, and Tooru swore he felt his stomach drop. Sure his parents had been upset about his...choice in friendships, but to go this far? Tooru's throat felt dry and he attempted to swallow it down. 

"She said to stay away from us? That doesn't make sense." 

"Her Majesty has also made arrangements to keep us busy during your monthly visits," Koushi spoke, voice low. "She said we're too young to take our responsibilities as personal servants seriously." 

"So that's what Ukai was talking about." Everyone turned to look at Daichi, who had not said a word since Tooru arrived. "He told me that the king had questioned him about taking 'break periods' during our courtship. Apparently, Seijoh thinks we're both unfit to rule as we are." 

"We're not meant to rule for another five years! There's plenty of time to learn, right? I can't seriously be the only one who thinks this is ridiculous?"

"Oikawa listen-"

"No! Absolutely not! This is stupid! I don't want to hear any of it. Unless the next words to come out of your mouth are ‘Haha it was a joke!' I don't want to hear it." He was intimately aware that he was throwing a fit, but at the moment he couldn't care less. 

"Tooru," Koushi called, hands gently cupping his face. Tooru begrudgingly looked up, waiting for the other boy to continue. 

What he wasn't expecting was for Koushi to grip his cheeks, pinching them harshly. 

"Please get over yourself, Your Highness, this is hard for all of us." 

Tooru blinked rapidly, hand coming up to rub at his stinging cheek. 

"Koushi," Tooru whispered, "did you just call me Tooru?" 

_"That's not the point idiot!"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LMAOOO HAPPY BIRTHDAY OIKAWA (it's not even close to July but that's okay)
> 
> This is the last time I'm writing them as fruity little kids please I always forget that 13-year-olds aren't romantic.


	4. Quatre

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daichi Sawamura has a midlife crisis at 14.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how to write children and I think that shows LMAOOO
> 
> Anyway, I apologize for the cringy nicknames you'll witness in this fic, I genuinely think I'm funny. I also wrote this mainly when I was sleep-deprived, so feel free to point out any mistakes! Enjoy <33

Daichi Sawamura was many things. An idiot was not one of them. 

Despite his teasing, Daichi had never thought much about Koushi’s initial fascination with the Aoba Johsai prince. He had known Koushi for a while now, ever since he was given to the royal family all those years ago. Because of this, Daichi knew that his friend was the type to love. The kind of person to love so _fiercely_ that you were helpless to do anything but accept that love. So, in the beginning, Daichi saw no reason to worry about the relationship between Koushi and his betrothed. 

That changed as they grew older. 

Again, Daichi wasn’t an idiot. As their small group began to get closer, he began to see the way his best friend would look at Tooru, and the way Tooru would look back. At first, Karasuno’s heir thought it nothing more than a fleeting crush, a brief infatuation. They were children, after all, thrown into a situation where all they had were each other. It was only natural that they would all form an unusual friendship.

But now, just short a few years from the wedding, Daichi began to grow nervous. Koushi knew that this arrangement was essential to the kingdom, which made it important to Daichi. He knew that Daichi wanted nothing more than to help his kingdom, help it thrive. It was his job, his _duty._ He had been entrusted with the future of his entire kingdom, and he couldn’t let _anything_ jeopardize that. 

This brought him back to his current dilemma. 

Sitting on Tooru’s bed, Daichi attempted to unscramble the mess he called his thoughts. If he was being completely honest, the queen _did_ have a point. It wasn't that he didn’t adore his friends and the time they spent together, rather, it was _how much_ time they spent together. As much as he hated to admit it, Koushi and Hajime weren’t nobility. They weren’t _royalty._ They weren’t equal in the sense that mattered. 

“...She said we’re too young to take our responsibilities seriously.”

Blinking, Daichi slowly came back to himself just in time to hear Koushi’s statement. He didn’t know long he had been out of it, but the comment reminded him of the earlier conversation he had shared with his advisor.

“So that’s what Ukai was talking about,” once everyone’s attention was turned to him, he continued, “He told me that the king had questioned him about taking ‘break periods’ during our courtship. Apparently, Seijoh thinks we’re both unfit to rule as we are.” 

A glance around the room showed about the reaction he had expected. Tooru’s face was almost burning red, and Koushi’s lips were pulled into a deep frown. The only person who wasn’t visibly upset was Hajime. The other boy seemed resigned to the fact that they would all be separated. Had he known before? Before Daichi could question it further, Tooru had all but exploded with his poorly concealed anger

After an intervention from Koushi, Tooru seemed to snap out of his vexation. A swell of jealousy welled up in Daichi’s chest, almost choking him with its sudden intensity. Who was he even jealous of? Was it Tooru, who unabashedly wore his emotions on his sleeve when they overwhelmed him? Or was it of Koushi, his childhood best friend who has been nothing short of a reassuring presence, who could calm the storm that Tooru seemed to brew? Maybe it was both, maybe it was neither. Maybe Daichi was jealous of the bond they seemed to share, one easily being able to read the other. 

Whatever it was, Daichi resented the feeling. It was petty and unnecessary. Jealousy corrupted the mind, made you irrational. All things that Daichi despised. 

A warm hand placed itself on his shoulder, lightly jostling him from his thoughts. 

“Stare any harder and your eyes will fall out of your head Sawamura.” 

Sawamura. 

It had taken a while for Hajime to address Karasuno’s prince like that, even longer to do it without slipping up and calling him "your highness". Hajime was always so careful around the royals, and Daichi seemed to be no exception. 

Their first-ever encounter was one Daichi liked to look back on from time to time. Back when Hajime feared even the slightest mistake would send Daichi running off to tell the king. 

They had grown more comfortable with each other since then, enough that Hajime no longer feared speaking without using a proper title. Unfortunately, they weren't yet close enough (and Hajime not comfortable enough) to use his first name willingly. It was almost disappointing.

A chuckle threatened to spill past his lips, as it always did whenever Hajime said something hilariously blunt. Daichi learned years ago that the boy’s sense of humor was a bit warped, leaning almost completely into dry wit and sarcasm.

“A bit morbid don’t you think? I knew guards lacked tact but I didn’t know it went this far.” 

Hajime shrugged, hand still firmly latched onto his shoulder. "I guess I'm just special." 

Daichi hummed, eyes going back to the corner that Koushi and Tooru were huddled in. He watched them speak, voices soft and eyes focused only on each other. He briefly wondered what they were whispering about, but realized it could only be one thing. 

A small sigh, barely even audible, reached Daichi’s ears before Hajime decided to speak. 

"I know you're thinking it too." 

Hajime's voice was low, only meant to be heard by the boy next to him. 

"Thinking what?" Maybe if Daichi feigned ignorance, he could avoid this conversation. 

"About what the queen said. You think she's right, don't you?" It was phrased like a question, but Daichi knew better. 

Daichi snorted, "Could you at least pretend not to sound so accusing? I'm not on trial Hajime."

With a roll of his eyes, Hajime simply replied, "It's not an accusation. It's just a statement. Besides," he continued, "you would prefer I get straight to the point, yes?" 

"You know me so well Buttercup, I'm touched." 

Hajime groaned at the stupid endearment, displeasure written all over his face. "Can we _please_ stop using that stupid nickname? It happened years ago, let's just _move on._ "

The incident in question happened to be as follows: Freshly turned twelve-year-old Hajime had been asked to keep an eye on some of Tooru’s buttercups while he and Koushi left for their usual walk through the castle. The two would likely end up outside, under a tree with a book in hand, so Hajime had _assumed_ that meant that he had time to relax. So, he and Daichi took an impromptu trip down to the kitchens for a quick snack. 

Said snack turned into a full-blown lunch, and soon an hour or so had gone by. Upon returning to his room in the guard barracks, Hajime had been quite horrified to see that the flowers were missing. _Gone_. 

After a frantic search of the room, Daichi simply suggested picking new flowers. That idea was quickly shot down, with Hajime insisting that Tooru would know if he picked more flowers.

"He's weird like that." That was all that was offered as an explanation. 

So, 12 year-olds Daichi and Hajime once again found themselves in the kitchen, the latter desperately shoving white tulips into freshly churned butter, hoping that the flowers would suddenly become buttercups all by themselves. 

Poor Daichi was too busy laughing to tell his companion that tulips looked _nothing like buttercups_ and that one kind of flower couldn't suddenly morph into another. 

Needless to say, the buttercup nickname stuck and Tooru was _livid._

\--

"It's not my fault you didn't understand how flowers work, Hajime. You brought this upon yourself." 

Hajime let out another groan but decided not to rise to the bait. "Don't try to change the subject. You're not very smooth you know. Besides, I'm not the only one with embarrassing stories _oh grand goblin king."_

"I was eleven!" Daichi hissed, cheeks reddening with embarrassment. "We _all_ called ourselves weird things!"

"It wasn't that long ago. And no one but you called themselves _The Goblin King,_ Sawamura. Not even Sir Suga the Seventeenth." Hajime said smoothly, his voice inflected with poorly concealed exasperated fondness. 

"He never told us why seventeen, it was such an odd number." Daichi mused, not so subtlety trying to move the conversation away from his time as ruler of the goblins. 

Graciously, Hajime moved on, humming in agreement. His eyes moved from the door to Tooru and Koushi, before finally landing back on Daichi.

"Just so you know, I think I agree with you. Oikawa is too reckless with Suga around." 

Daichi felt himself nod, too busy mulling over Hajime's words. Tooru did tend to let his guard down whenever the silver-haired boy was around, something that could cost Tooru the crown if he wasn't careful. 

After a bit more thinking, Daichi steeled his resolve. In the morning, he would relay his approval for whatever Seijoh's monarchs had planned. 

\--

Daichi slumped in his chair, quill clattering onto the table. He was back in Karasuno, after the disaster on Tooru’s birthday.

It had been three days. 

Three days since Daichi had spoken Queen Oikawa, giving whatever blessing he had to her husband's idea of pausing the courtship. 

The queen had listened and softly assured him that everything would be taken care of. He was told that the monthly visits would continue as usual for the rest of the year, but with a few restrictions. 

It had been three days since that announcement, and three days since the prince of Aoba Johsai loudly declared him and Hajime "traitors" before storming off. 

They had not spoken since. 

Daichi had attempted many times since then to apologize, by both word of mouth and by letter. Every one of his apologies was ignored or sent back, with terse angry replies scribbled onto a smaller sheet of paper. 

Even Koushi refused his apologies. The boy had been down ever since their departure, uncharacteristically quiet. Whenever Daichi attempted to explain, Koushi would wave him off with a smile that never truly reached his eyes. 

To say the least, Daichi felt awful. He _knew_ he was doing the right thing, focusing on the fate of the kingdom, but at what cost? His closest friends were all upset, one way or another, and they all still had a little less than five months before contact was cut completely. 

The boy sighed, picking up his quill and scratching out another letter. He was way too young for this. 

\--

Months later, when the weather grew colder and the wind began to bite, both princes were still miserable. 

Their visits continued as promised, but once they arrived, Koushi and Hajime were sent off to do chores. For the entire trip. That left Tooru and Daichi completely alone for days on end, with no one to talk to but each other.

One day, while sitting on Tooru's large bed, the younger prince had insisted that he and Daichi were still friends. However, he huffed that it was practically _his_ fault they were in this situation. Which, fine, he would shoulder a little blame if it meant he could finally have his friend back. 

Gradually, the two began to rebuild whatever trust had been broken, mending their relationship while trying their hardest not to acknowledge the pieces still missing. 

For Tooru, it felt like the sky had gone dark. The moon dulled, its shine no longer vibrant and all-encompassing. The tides it commanded grew restless, crashing onto shore with no direction. When the sun was out, it was better, there was something to hold on to. But when the sun left, the moon was alone once again.

No more stars, no more _Koushi._

For Daichi, it felt like constant suspension. No tether, no stability, just floating. There was no ground beneath his feet and no life to dote upon. The sun felt useless, for when there was no earth **,** what use was the sun? What use was its warmth or its light, if there was nothing to warm or shine upon? With the moon, the sun felt better. The sun let the moon eclipse it, reveling in the closeness, the companionship, that the moon provided. Once separated, the sun once again felt the loss of something great, something precious. 

Daichi had never really thought about how much he would miss Hajime. 

\--

One month, there was just one more month before the new year. 

One last visit.

A few days before Tooru was said to arrive in Karasuno, Daichi was making small preparations with the kitchen staff. Currently, he was in a rather intense argument with the sous-chef. 

"Really Hisashi, it's not necessary! You always insist on serving more than necessary." 

Hisashi Kinoshita, recently appointed sous-chef, stubbornly refused. 

"I'm sorry Your Highness but I have orders from Kazuhito-,"

"Order's that you can _directly overrule_ Hisashi. Last time I checked, Narita didn't run the kitchen." 

"Yes but-,"

Daichi shook his head. "No buts. Tooru isn't a fan of huge dinners. I'd rather his last trip here be a comfortable one."

Hisashi sighed, eyes lowering to the ground in defeat. "Yes, Your Highness." 

Daichi gently patted the shorter's shoulder, silently allowing him to get back to work. 

Leaving the kitchen, Daichi mentally ran through the list of things to do today, sighing in relief as he realized that he was almost done. 

"Daichi! Do you have a moment?"

Turning, Daichi caught sight of Koushi, who was jogging through the hallway; waving his hand while making his way over. 

"Sure, what do you need?" Daichi answered immediately. Maybe a little _too_ quickly, as Koushi let out a laugh before lightly punching his shoulder. 

"Don't sound too eager Dai," Koushi teased, "it's mainly about paperwork." A slow smile spread across his face at the groan of disapproval, but Daichi couldn't bring himself to worry about the teasing he was about to endure. Paperwork was the bane of his existence. 

Koushi seemed to take full advantage of the situation, sliding his arm over Daichi’s shoulders. 

"Walk with me," he hummed, a little too happy for someone who was about to talk about _paperwork._ "Now, I know you usually only sign whatever Takeda gives you, but I say you just _don't._ Isn't that a great idea? I think so." Koushi rambled, hands motioning wildly as they walked. 

"You've never done paperwork and it truly shows," Daichi lamented, "I truly envy you." 

Koushi only smirked in response, as if proud that he never had to endure the torture that was signing one's name over and over again. 

"I prefer hands-on handwork thank you." 

"You mean that you prefer harassing the rest of the staff." 

Koushi only dismissed him with a wave of his hand, which really just proved that Daichi was right. 

"Why suddenly bring up paperwork? You usually avoid talking about it like the plague." Which was true, Koushi always avoided anything that had to do with Daichi’s "princely duties" as he put it. 

"No reason." 

Daichi _almost_ believed him. There was no teasing lilt or any sort of indication that Koushi was lying, but Daichi liked to think he knew his friend better than that. 

"No reason? Somehow I don't believe it. Seriously, what's going on?" His question had caused the smaller to start fidgeting, fingers twisting and picking at each other. 

"It's nothing Daichi I-," 

"Sugawara." 

A brief look of surprise flashed across Koushi’s face before he schooled his expression. A puff of exasperation and a humorless chuckle passed his lips. 

"Nothing gets past you huh? That's Karasuno’s future king for you." Koushi mumbled, mostly to himself. Daichi was beyond confused now. Before he could question further, Koushi started speaking. 

"I want to see Tooru again." 

Daichi blinked. Once, twice, and once more for good measure. But-

"You see him all the time?" 

Koushi shook his head, a small frown marring his usual carefree expression. 

"It's not the same. Seeing him around the castle isn't the same as," he paused, red tinting his cheeks, "being with him." 

Nervously, Daichi chuckled. This wasn't the conversation he expected to be having right now. "You know," he cleared his throat, "if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're in love with him or something." 

Silence. 

Daichi’s heart felt like it had dropped to his stomach. Panic began to rise, clawing at his chest. Who else had Koushi told about this? What if Ukai found out? Or worse, what if _King Oikawa_ found out?

"You-You’re in-,"

"No!" Koushi shouted, frantically waving his hands in front of his face. His eyes were wide, but the light blush remained. "No. Nothing like that. I just think-," 

"It doesn't matter what you _think_ Koushi," Daichi interrupted, "this isn't a game!" Daichi was sure he was freaking out by now. "You can't just say those things! Someone could hear you." 

At that, Koushi huffed, clearly getting irritated with the direction of their conversation. "I'm not ashamed." 

" _Well, you should be! I certainly am. I'm the one supposed to marry him, Sugawara. How do you think this makes me feel?"_

Koushi reared back as if Daichi had physically struck him. His mouth dropped open in shock, hurt blooming all over his face. 

Oh no. The weight of what was just said crashed into him at once, making his legs weak. 

"Oh," Koushi said dumbly. Almost instantly, the fight seemed to drain out of his body. Koushi’s shoulders hunched, and he seemed to retreat into himself, bringing his hands up to grasp at his upper arms. "I'm sorry." 

If Daichi didn't feel bad before, he sure did now. 

"I'll uh, I'll go check on Yuu at the stables." 

And then he was walking away. Koushi was just _walking away_ like Daichi hadn't just told him to be ashamed of his feelings. 

Koushi turned the corner, and then he was gone. 

Daichi really was way too young for this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Iwaizumi being bad at botany/science is hilarious actually


End file.
